Plasticized vinyl resin compositions



Patented Mar. 14, 1950 2,500,891 PLASTICIZED VINYL RESIN COMPOSITIONS Claude H. Alexander, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, as-

signor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application August 22, 1947, Serial No. 770,183

This invention relates to plasticized vinyl resin compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to plasticized polymers of vinyl chloride. It is well known that hard and horny polymers such as those of vinyl chloride can be rendered 5 peratures. I have also found that the use of soft, flexible, extensible and more or less rubsmall amounts of these materials in conjunction her-like in character by the addition thereto at with other plasticizers, particularly the dialkyl elevated temperatures of certain organic comphthalates, will greatly aid processing by reducpounds known as plasticizers. However, the ing milling temperature without lowering the known plasticizers vary greatly in their comhardness of the final composition. patibility with the resin, in their efliciency The plasticizers of this invention are com- (amount necessary to produce a given plasticizpatible with vinyl chloride polymers in any proing effect), and in their ability to be retained by portions, though for most applications when used the finished composition. In addition, the temas the sole plasticizer it is preferable that 25 to perature necessary for mixing of the plasticizer 100 parts by weight of the hthalate be used for with the polymer and for processing of the each 100 parts of polymer. However, an importhermoplastic composition varies widely dependtant use of these plasticizing materials is in coning on the nature of the plasticizers, as does the jun n W other plaeticizihg materials to physical and electrical properties of the compotain lower p ocessing temp a es and to obtain siti n produced, 20 harder and more flexible compositions. For the Dialkyl phthalates have been used as plaslatter use from 10 to parts or more of the ditlcizers for polyvinyl chloride and have been ey o y D t a te to ether with from 25 to 100 found to be more valuable for this purpose than P s of the other plesticizel, y y other types of materials. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalat f amp w ll be f und to pr du phthalate in particular has been found to be one 25 resin composit ons a n highly desirable D pof the most valuable polyvinyl chloride plasrti sticlzers, but it suffers from several disadvantages. The Vinyl ns Which may be efficiently p s- Relatively high temperatures in the range of 265 ticized by the plasticizers of this invention are to 280 F. are necessary to incorporate it in polythe Polymers e by po yme ng a monomeric vinyl chloride and these high temperatures must material comprising a vinyl halide such as vinyl be maintained during processing operations such chloride, Vinyl bromide, vinyl o d V y fluoas milling, calendaring and extruding, Moreover, ride, either alone or in admixture with other cothe finished composition is softer at normal room pelymerizable monom s such as vi ylidene chlotemperatures than is desired for many applicari vinyl a n l pr pi n e, vinyl butions and it tends to lose its flexibility on contyrate, methyl cry a e. e h l a ry ate. met yl tinued service particularly in applications inmethaorylate, methyl etheerylate. die hyl monovolving exposure t moderate t chloromaleate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, styrene, Accordingly, it is an object of this invention Vinyl ohlorobehzehe, Vinyl naphthalene, m yl to produce plasticized vinyl resin compositions Vinyl ketolle. dimethyl itecohete. hyl fum requiring lower temperatures of milling and rate, diethyl crotonate and others. The polymers essing, having improved stability and flexibility preferred in this invention are those in which in applications involving exposure to heat, and Vinyl ehloride is h m jor constituent. which will be tough, and hard at normal room The invention will be m r sp cific lly detemperatureg scribed by reference to certain specific examples 1 have discovered that dicyclohexyl phthalate, 4s illustrating certain p red manners of carry- -(cyclohexylmethyl) phthalate, and the various ing the invention into effect nd i lus r in redl-(methylcyclohexyl) hth mt are excellent sults obtained with reference to certain preferred plasticizers for vinyl chloride polymers and m materials, though the invention is not to be conimpart a unique combination of properties therestrued as limited theretoto. In particular, I have found that these materials may be incorporated into polyvinyl chloride EXAMPLES 1 To 8 at relatively low temperatures to produce plas- Dry polyvinyl chloride resin was placed .on a ticized compositions which are smoothly worktwo-roll plastic roll mill having heated rolls and able in extrusion and molding operations at temthe plasticizers shown in Table I were worked peratures lower than has heretofore been pos- 86 into the resin with mastication until a smooth 1 Claim. (01. zoo-31.8)

sible, and which also are possessed of high flexibility over a wide range of temperatures with no observable cracking or "frosting in the flexed area, yet are quite hard and tough at room temother pertinent physical test data illustrating the 5 desirable properties imparted to the plasticized resin.

4 truded shapes of polyvinyl chloride containing these alicyclic phthalates as plasticizers could be softened by immersing in hot water and subsequently swaged, shaped or spliced to form articles of novel properties. These same compositions also produced clear. colorless, rigid calendered or press polished sheets.

Table 1 Ex. 1 Ir. 2 Ex. 8 Ex. 4 Ex. Ex. 6 Ex. 7 Ex. 8

Polyvinyl chloride ii!) 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Dl-2eth lhexyl phthalate--- 60 N 39 B2 62 52 52 Materials Di-cyclo exyl plitliala m 13 50 Basic Lead Carbon l0 l0 l0 10 Fine Clay 7 7 7 7 Milling emperature...F-- ms 245 255 245 285 266 2B0 2A5 Durometcr A Hardness at Pro :0 u w 1 hil6' l ii 88 m 83 86 86 ieso om ton.-.. e as even rs. put pos 2l2" F.) per cent 5.0 4.0 4. 5 3. 8 5. 0 5. 0 4.6 4. 8

Flexibility (after exposure to air oven 96 hrs. at 212 F.). 0)

1 Good. 1 Excellent. It will be noted that the polyvinyl chloride com- EXAMPLE 11 positions containing di-cyclohexyl phthalate require milling temperatures from 5 to 20 F. lower than those containing di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate yet they are harder and possess lower heat loss and better flexibility than polyvinyl chloride plasticized with di-Z-ethylhexyl phthalate. It is also to be noted that the compositions containing only small proportions of dicyclohexyl phthalate in addition to'about 50 parts of di-2- ethylhexyl phthalate are harder and require lower milling temperatures than those not containing the dicyclohexyl phthalate. Thisis quite surprising and unexpected since ordinarily addition of increased amounts of plasticizers produces a softer composition.

EXAMPLE 9 A polyvinyl chloride composition was prepared as in Example 4 using 60 parts of di-2-(methylcyclohexyl) phthalate in place of the parts of dicyclohexyl phthalate. A milling temperature of only 250 F. was required; the hardness of the resulting plasticized polyvinyl chloride was 100 (Durometer A at 30 0.), yet when bent or flexed, the sheet of plasticized resin generated a certain amount of heat in the zone of flexure which in turn greatly increased its flexibility. After continual flexing, the sheet of plasticized resin was cooled and it became rigid again with no observable cracking or frosting in the flexed area. Substantially identical results were secured when di-(cyclohexylmethyl) phthalate, di-(3- methylcyclohexyl) phthalate and di-(i-methylcyclohexyl) phthalate were substituted for the di-(2-methylcyclohexyl) phthalate.

ExAMrLE 1c The composition of Examples 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 were granulated and used as extrusion compounds. In contrast with the polyvinyl chloride composition of Example 1 and polyvinyl chloride compositions containing other conventional plasticlzing materials which require extrusion temperatures of 350 F., the extrusion compounds containing dicyclohexyl phthalate or di-(lmethylcyclohexyl) phthalate extruded smoothly at 325 to 330 F. and upon cooling were found to form extremely rigid monofilaments having high surface gloss. It was also found that ex- Dicyclohexyl phthalate is particularly adaptable to the production of free-flowing, pulverulent, preplasticized resin compositions from the vinyl chloride polymers by the methods disclosed in the copending applications of Clarence E. Parks, Serial No. 745,120, filed April 30, 1947, and Willard F. Bixby, Serial No. 772,133, filed September 4, 1947, because it is a powdery solid. The method of Parks consists of heating and agitating a mixture of pulverulent resin and liquid or liquefiable plasticizer under conditions favoring complete absorption of plasticizer but below the softening or gelatinizing temperature of the resin so as to form a dry, friable pulverulent plasticized resin while that of Blxby consists of bringing a mixture of resin and plasticizer into contact with a rapidly moving stream of heated gas whereupon the resin absorbs the plasticizer and there is obtained a dry pulverulent plasticized resin. Since dicyclohexyl phthalate is a powdery solid it may be mixed with the dry pulverulent resin and when the mixture is heated the dicyclohexyl phthalate liquefies and is easily absorbed by the resin.

To illustrate such use of dicyclohexyl phthalate, a finely pulverulent polymer made by the polymerization in aqueous emulsion of a monomeric mixture of 92.5% vinyl chloride and 7.5% vinylidene chloride, was mixed with dicyclohexyl phthalate in the ratio of 50 parts by weight of plasticizer to parts by weight of dry resin until a homogeneous blend of powdery materials was produced. The resin-plasticizer blend was placed in a jacketed ribbon blade internal mixer having its jacket maintained at 235 to 250 F. and the blend was mixed for a total of 30 minutes. The hot mix was discharged from the mixer and allowed to cool to return to room temperature. Upon examination of the cooled pulverulent resin it was found to be plasticized by the dicyclohexyl phthalate but still dry, non-rubbery and friable and free-flowing in character.

When 10 parts by weight of basic lead carbonate and '7 parts by weight of fine calcined clay were added to the dry, powdery plasticized resin of this example, the resulting pulverulent composition was an excellent extrusion compound for it extruded smoothly at 325 to 350 F. to form hard rigid monofilaments and wire and cable jackets which were extremely flexible and had excellent light and heat stability.

Compounding ingredients including reinforcing pigments, fillers, dyes and other coloring ingredients, and chemical stabilizers may be admixed with the plasticized resin compositions of this invention as is well understood in the art, or the plasticized resin compositions of this invention may be formulated as clear colorless, or colored translucent compositions, as illustrated in the specific examples. The alicyclic phthalates of this invention may be incorporated into thermoplastic vinyl chloride polymers by any of the methods well known to the art as by mill mixing, Banbury mixing or by internal mixers, or by the powder plasticization technique described in Example ll.

While I have disclosed certain preferred manners of performing my invention, I do not thereby desire or intend to limit myself solely thereto, for the precise proportions of the materials utilized may be varied and equivalent chemical 6 materials may be employed, if desired, without departing from the spirit and scope of the inven-' tion as disclosed in the appended claim.

I claim:

A plasticized resin composition comprising 100 parts of polyvinyl chloride, 10 to .parts of dicyclohexyl phthalate and 25 to parts of di- (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate.

CLAUDE H. ALEXANDER.

nmmmnenscrrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,339,387 Endres Jan. 18, 1944 2,349,413 Hemperly- May 23, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 546,690 Germany Mar. 14, 1932 

